Millions of Australians have come into contact with the ideas behind creating more urban green space

Normally on this page you read about people working together to achieve their goals. This time it’s a different story. It is the entire horticultural industry of Australia cooperating in 202020 Vision and greening all Australian cities. This is quite ambitious as 202020 Vision wants to expand Australian urban green space 20% by the year 2020.

202020 Vision has eight reasons for greening Australian cities. There is people’s health and well-being, benefitting from parks and other urban green spaces. It’s a fact that green spaces are more successful in pre-existing green environments. People are more likely to meet in green environments; they even have more fun shopping in streets with large trees. Of course, there are sustainability issues. Trees reduce temperatures by up to 8˚C, reducing air conditioner usage and carbon emissions by an estimated 12-15% per annum. Trees diminish the usage of water; they remove air pollution and the larger the tree, the more air pollution is removed. And last, but not least: time spent in nature has been proven to have a positive effect on children’s behaviour.

Everywhere in the world there is ample reason to expand urban green spaces but in Australia, with its warm climate, there is even more reason.

202020 Vision created a nationwide network of governmental and private organisations and individuals from the green industry to make their initiative succeed. They researched why they should green their cities and how to accomplish this. They used their network to collect and disseminate practical information on every aspect of expanding urban green spaces. What plants can you use where? How about soil and composting, about overcoming barriers to improving a park, about talking with green industry professionals in their own jargon. But they also deliberated how to create an urban forest and a community action plan.

202020 Vision started in 2014 and has come a long way. The greatest achievement is probably the awareness it has created. Millions of Australians have come into contact with the ideas behind creating more urban green space. Millions of them are now convinced that more urban green space is the answer to many ecological, economic and social problems. It helped the flower and plants industry be more relevant to society. It set an example for the world about how to green your urban environment together. Another achievement is that real projects to improve and expand Australian urban green have begun implementation.

202020 Vision is showing the world what the value of green can be by using one of the industry’s best elements: cooperation.

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